CVE-2020-22524 is a buffer overflow vulnerability identified in the FreeImage Library version 3.19.0 (revision 1828). The vulnerability exists specifically in the FreeImage_Load function when processing Portable Float Map (PFM) image files. An attacker can exploit this flaw by crafting a malicious PFM file designed to trigger a buffer overflow during the image loading process. This overflow can cause a denial of service (DoS) condition by crashing the application that uses the vulnerable FreeImage library. The vulnerability does not appear to allow for code execution or privilege escalation but impacts the availability of the affected system or application. According to the CVSS v3.1 scoring, it has a base score of 6.5 (medium severity), with an attack vector of network (AV:N), low attack complexity (AC:L), no privileges required (PR:N), but requires user interaction (UI:R). The scope is unchanged, and the impact affects availability only (A:H), with no confidentiality or integrity impact. No patches or fixes are currently linked, and there are no known exploits in the wild. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-120, which relates to classic buffer overflow issues. The FreeImage library is an open-source image processing library used in various software applications for loading and manipulating image files, including PFM format. The lack of vendor or product specificity suggests this vulnerability impacts any software embedding the vulnerable FreeImage version and processing PFM files. Since exploitation requires user interaction (e.g., opening or importing a crafted PFM file), the attack surface is limited to scenarios where untrusted image files are processed.

For European organizations, the primary impact of CVE-2020-22524 is the potential disruption of services or applications that utilize the FreeImage library to handle PFM image files. This could affect sectors relying on image processing software, including graphic design, scientific imaging, medical imaging, and certain industrial applications. A successful exploit would cause application crashes, leading to denial of service and potential operational downtime. Although the vulnerability does not compromise confidentiality or integrity, repeated or targeted DoS attacks could degrade service availability and impact business continuity. Organizations that accept image uploads from external sources or process untrusted image files are at higher risk. The requirement for user interaction limits remote exploitation but does not eliminate risk, especially in environments where users may open or import files from unverified sources. Given the absence of known exploits in the wild, the immediate threat level is moderate; however, unpatched systems remain vulnerable to potential future exploitation. European organizations should be aware of this vulnerability particularly if they use software incorporating FreeImage 3.19.0 and handle PFM files.

To mitigate the risk posed by CVE-2020-22524, European organizations should: 1) Identify and inventory all software and systems that embed the FreeImage library version 3.19.0 or earlier, especially those processing PFM files. 2) Monitor vendor advisories and open-source repositories for patches or updated versions of FreeImage that address this vulnerability; apply updates promptly once available. 3) Implement strict input validation and file type restrictions to prevent untrusted or suspicious PFM files from being processed. 4) Educate users about the risks of opening or importing image files from untrusted sources to reduce the likelihood of user-initiated exploitation. 5) Employ application whitelisting and sandboxing techniques for software handling image files to contain potential crashes and limit impact. 6) Where possible, disable support for the PFM format if it is not required by business operations. 7) Incorporate monitoring and alerting for application crashes related to image processing to detect potential exploitation attempts early. These targeted actions go beyond generic advice by focusing on the specific vulnerable component, attack vector, and operational context.